One advantage of open trucks such as pickup trucks is that the bed is readily accessible for loading and unloading of loads, cargo, pets and the like. Cargos may include, without limitation tools, instruments, materials, purchases and the like that may be valuable or that others may desire to remove from the truck bed. Protection against such removal is offered by bed covers, that may be referred to as tonneau covers, or by canopies. These solutions, however, may limit or restrict the use of the truck in one manner or other. For example, if a fifth wheel mount is installed in the bed of the truck, a canopy or tonneau cover will have to be removed or raised in order to mount a fifth wheel trailer on the fifth wheel mount. Cargo that extends above the level of the bed, such as, for example, an appliance such as a refrigerator, or other such bulky load, may likewise not be readily loadable without removal of the bed cover or canopy.
Cargo boxes mountable in the truck bed may be used to secure articles against removal from the truck bed. These may be mounted on the gunwales of the truck bed behind the cab of the truck. Tools, instruments, purchases and other items may be secured in the box, but space may be limited, and removal of the box for handling outsized cargo may require removal and storage of the box. Kennels or cages may be mounted in the truck bed or mounted to the gunwales of the truck bed for transportation of animals, and may likewise limit the use of the truck bed.
Transportation of animals raises another set of issues. For example, many dogs and other animals enjoy riding in the bed of a pickup. However, this may not be safe unless they are in some manner secured because the animal may be thrown from, or fall from, the bed if the truck maneuvers sharply, traverses sufficiently sharp terrain irregularities, suffers an impact or otherwise. Furthermore, if the animal is left in the bed when the vehicle is parked, the animal may present a danger to passersby, may exit the truck bed and wander off, or, particularly in the case of prize animals, such as show dogs, hunting dogs and working dogs, may be stolen from the bed of the truck. Finally, the bed of the truck does not offer protection to the animal from sun, rain and snow.